James franklin bkewster



(NoModel.) -1

J. F. BREWSTER. TIME LAMPLIGHTER.

No. 592,761. Patented No 2, 1897.

Hummm 'ffm uw Iggzgfer NiTgED STATESy PATENT miren.

JAMES FRANKLIN BREVSTER, OF DARBONNE, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO R. M. GILL, OF SAME PLACE.

TIME LAM PLIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 592,761, dated November 2, 1897. Application iled February 20, 1897. Serial No.v624,305. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, JAMES FRANKLIN BREW- STER, a citizen of the United States, residing at DArbonne, in the parish of Union and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Automatic Lamplighter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic lamp-v lighters, its object being to provide a mechanism to-automatically light a lamp, which mechanism is to be set in operation by the key of the alarm mechanism of a clock when such key is turned by the alarm mechanism during the sounding of the alarm.

l/Vith this object in view the invention consists of the several details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, showing in full lines the position of the mechanism when set and in dotted lines its position when tripped to effect the lighting of the lamp. h Fig. 2 is a top view of the device, the lamp being removed. Fig.

3 is a perspective view of the spring-actuatedV match-holder and its support detached.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in the several figures. i v

1 represents the base, which may be of wood or metal, as preferred, and which is provided at one end With a recess or opening 2 for the reception of a lamp 3.

The lamp may be of any ordinary construc' tion and is intended to be used without a chimney.

4 indicates standards, preferably formed from a single piece of metal bent substantially to U shape, with its looped end 5 lirmly secured to the base 1. The upper ends of the standards are perforated to form bearings for a shaft 6. Rigidly attached to the shaft 6, about midway of its length, is a rod 7, to the outer end of which is secured a plate 8, having at each end a notch 9, into which the body of a match may be inserted sidewise and firmly gripped therein..

10 represents a block slidably supported on 'the rod 7 and held in position thereon by a set-screw 11. The front face of the block 10 is provided with two recesses 12, adapted to receive the ends of the matches which may be seated in the notches 9 of the plate 8. The block 10 is made adjustable in order to accommodate the device to matches of varying lengths.

13 represents a coiled spring on the shaft 6. This spring is preferably formed from a single piece of wire, bent at its middle to form a loop 14, which iits over the rod 7, and the two parts of the wire are then reversely coiled around the shaft 6 and their ends secured to the standards 4 in any suitable manner.

15 represents a trigger which, as shown, consists of a short rod secured intermediate its ends to one end of the shaft 6, outside the supporting-standard 4. This trigger may be secured tothe shaft 6 by a threaded connecl tion,rby brazing or solderingpor in any other mannerdesired. One end 'of the trigger-rod is bent at a Vright angle, as indicated at 16, in such manner that when the device isv tripped the bent portion engages the standard 4 and limits the upward movement of the 'matchholder. YThe opposite end of the triggerlrod is flattened, as indicated at 17.

= 1S represents a standard firmly secured to the' base 1 and provided at its upper end with an elongatedV opening 19. In this opening is adjustably supported a pivot-pin 20, and on theA pin 20 avtripping-lever 21 is pivotally supported at a point intermediate of its length. The end of the lever extending toward the standard 4 is bent upwardly at substantially a right angle to provide an engaging surface 22 for the flattened end of the trigger-rod, by which means the match-holder is held in its set position against the tension of the spring 13, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

23 represents a clock, and 24 the key for the alarm mechanism thereof. Asis well known, these keys are screwed onto the winding-shaft of the alarm mechanism, and usually the finger-hold is hinged to the threaded socket. For the purpose of carrying out my inven'- tion, however, the finger-hold 25 consists of a metal plate rigidly secured to the threaded socket. The clock 23 is supported on the base, and may, if desired, be secured in its position, and it is so arranged that the end of IOO the lever will project across the path of travel i of the linger-hold 25 as it is turned by the alarm mechanism during the sounding of the alarm.

26 represents a curved spring extending between the standards et and secured at one end to the base, preferably beneath the standard 18, as shown in the drawings. The upper face of this spring may be roughened, or a piece of sandpaper 27 may be secured to its upper face, and the spring is so arranged that the head of the match in the match-holder will be brought in frictional contact with it and ignited as the match-holder swings from its set position to the other extremity in its movement. Another strip o f spring metal may, if desired, be secured at one end to the base and extend below the spring 26, as indicated at 28, for the purpose of supporting and reinforcing the spring 26.

The operation of the device is as follows: In winding the alarm mechanism the key 24: will be turned in the direction of the arrow on Fig. 1, and when the alarm is sounded the key will move in the reverse direction. lVhen the device is set, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the free end of the lever extends across the path of travel of the linger-hold 25 of the key 24C. Therefore when the alarm sounds and the key begins to turn it will lift the free end of the lever and thereby disengage the opposite end from the trigger-rod and release the match-holder. The spring 13 will cause the match-holder to move in the are of a circle, and the head of the match carried by the holder will be brought in frictional contact with the abrasive surface on the curved spring 2G and be thereby ignited. The bent end of the trigger-rod will engage the standard 4 and stop the movement of the match-holder atthe desired point to ignite the lamp-wickV 2f).

It will be seen that owing to the adjustability of the block 10 on the rod 7 matches of different lengths may be used, and also that on account of the adj ustability of the pivotpin 20 in the standard 18 the device may be adapted for use with clocks of diiferent sizes.

Instead of using the recess 2 to hold a lamp it may be utilized for an oil-reservoir, and a wick may be supported with its lower end in the oil of such reservoir and its upper end in position to be ignited by the match in any desirable manner.

It will be readily understood that in order to adapt the ordinary alarm-clock for use in connection with the lam p-igniting mechanism it will only be necessary to substitute for the ordinary key for the windingmechanism a key formed with a rigid finger-hold, as indicated at 25 in the drawings.

29 represents a cord leading from one end of the tripping-lever to a convenient point within reach of the occupant of a room in order that the person may trip the device and cause it to light the lamp at any time during the night should a light be required for any purpose.

It will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having this described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an automatic wick-lighter, the combination with spaced standards, a spring-actuated shaft journaled in said standards and a match-holder rigidly connected tothe shaft and adapted to swing in close proximity to a wick, of a tripping-lever pvotally supported intermediate its length, one end of said lever having a trigger-engaging surface and its other end extending across the path of travel of the key of an alarm mechanism, a triggerrod secured intermediate its ends to one end of said shaft, one end of the rod being adapted to engage one end of said lever to hold the match-holder at one extremity of its path of travel, and the other end bent and adapted to engage one of said standards to hold the match-holder at the other extremity of its path of travel, and a spring having anl abrasive surface arranged to ignite a match carried by the holder during the movement of the latter, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic wick-lighter, a springactuated match-holder consisting of a shaft journaled in spaced standards, an actuatingspring connected to the shaft and its support to turn the former in its bearings, a rod projecting from the shaft, a plate at the free end of the rod provided with a notch to receive the body of the match, a block slidably mounted on the rod and provided with a recess in its face to receive the end of the match, and, means to lock the block on the rod, substantially as described.

3. In an automatic wick-lighter, the combination with a spring-actuated match-holder, a trigger connected to the shaft of the matchholder, and the winding -key of an alarm mechanism, of a standard provided with an elongated opening, a pivot pin adjustably supported in the said opening, and a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said pin, one end of the lever adapted to interlock with said trigger, and its other end extending across the point of travel of said winding-key, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES FRANKLIN BREWSTER.

lVitnesses:

JAS. A. MANNING, Ronr. F. BROOKS.

IOO 

